HINSDALE CENTRAL HOLIDAY CLASSIC

HC SQUARED:  Building a New Tradition of Basketball at Its Best
 

2018 GAME EIGHT RECAP: Maine South 46, Lincoln Park 43

Box Score

HINSDALE, Ill. – Lincoln Park held off a furious fourth quarter rally from Maine South to secure the final spot in the quarterfinals of the 2018 Hinsdale Central Holiday Classic with a 46-43 victory.

Lincoln Park (9-4) led for the majority of the game, building a 10-point cushion (18-8) after the first quarter and a nine-point lead (27-18) at halftime. The Lions led by as many as 11 late in the third quarter and carried a 37-29 lead into the fourth quarter.

Maine South (8-4) rallied back in the fourth, scoring the first seven points to pull to within one. Lincoln Park pushed its lead back to four, but Maine South again pulled to within one and then moved in front for the first time in the half on a pair of Essam Hamwi free throws with 3:30 remaining. A three-pointer from Travis Stampley put Lincoln Park back up by two with 1:32 left on the clock. A free throw from Stampley with 35 seconds left gave the Lions a three-point cushion. Maine South had two chances to tie the score in the closing seconds, but a pair of missed three-pointers pushed Lincoln Park into the quarterfinals.

Lincoln Park shot 40.0 percent (14-of-35) from the floor, including 36.4 percent (8-of-22) from three-point distance. Stampley led the lions in scoring with a game-high 19 points to go along with six rebounds. Ismail Habib came off the bench to score eight.

Maine South shot 50.0 percent (15-of-30) from the floor, but just 25.0 percent (3-of-12) from three-point distance. Hawmi led the Hawks with 133 points while John Gardiner and Fillip Bulatovic scored 11 points apiece. Tyler Houck finished with six assists.

Lincoln Park will face Homewood-Flossmoor in tomorrow’s 8:30 p.m. quarterfinal. Maine South will square up against Hinsdale Central in tomorrow’s 2:00 p.m. consolation game.